Royals 3, Athletics 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Chris Young got back on track, and the red-hot Kansas City Royals kept rolling Saturday at the O.co Coliseum, beating the Oakland A's 3-2 and moving a season-high 15 games over .500.
Young (7-3) gave up two runs -- only one earned -- and four hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Young came into the game off his worst start of the season against the Boston Red Sox. He allowed seven runs on seven hits, all of them for extra bases and three of them home runs, and lasted only 4 2/3 innings in a 13-2 rout.
The Royals (43-28), who own the American League's best record, beat the A's for the second straight game and have won three straight overall and nine of their last 12. They will go for a series sweep on Sunday.
Young left the game with a 3-2 lead, and Kansas City's bullpen blanked the A's without a hit over the final three innings. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless seventh, Wade Davis a tense but scoreless eighth and Greg Holland a scoreless ninth for his 16th save.
Davis walked the first two batters he faced, including third baseman Brett Lawrie, whose drive down the right field line hit the fence only three feet foul.
Then Davis struck out catcher Stephen Vogt and got left fielder Ben Zobrist to hit into a double play.
A's left-hander Scott Kazmir (4-5) held the Royals to three runs on seven hits over seven innings but took the loss. He struck out six and walked one.
Kazmir was 3-1 with a major-league low 1.27 ERA in seven home starts before losing to the Royals.
Designated hitter Kendrys Morales went 2-for-3 with a walk and drove in two runs for the Royals. He extended his hitting streak to 10 games. First baseman Eric Hosmer went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
Center fielder Sam Fuld went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, and scored a run for Oakland. Second baseman Eric Sogard had one hit in three at-bats and scored a run.
The A's jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first. Fuld hit a leadoff double, stole third base with one out and raced home when Young threw wildly to third for an error.
Kansas City pulled even with a run in the third, when second baseman Omar Infante ripped a leadoff double, moved to third on Kazmir's balk and scored on third baseman Mitch Moustakas' sacrifice fly.
Oakland moved back ahead, 2-1, in the fifth. Sogard lined a one-out single to center, stole second and scored with two out on shortstop Alcides Escobar's two-base throwing error.
The Royals scored twice in the sixth, taking a 3-2 lead that held up that to the bullpen.
Center fielder Lorenzo Cain walked with one out and advanced to second on Hosmer's sharp single to right. Both runners advanced on a double steal, and Morales brought them home with a single to right.
NOTES: Oakland CF Billy Burns missed his second straight game because of what manager Bob Melvin called a "hip flexor" injury. "Still a little tight as of last night," Melvin said. "We'll give him one more day and I'm confident he'll be able to play tomorrow." ... A's C Stephen Vogt was in the lineup at designated hitter, one day after being hit in the right wrist by a pitch in the ninth inning and having to leave the game. Vogt said he initially feared he had a broken bone. "Just a bruise," Vogt said. "I woke up this morning feeling good." ... A's switch pitcher Pat Venditte (strained right shoulder) played catch for the first time since going on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 11. He made 20 throws "pain free" from 60 feet right handed and will throw left- and right-handed on Monday. ... Royals LHP Jason Vargas (left flexor strain) threw a bullpen session Saturday. He will throw another one Monday and is on target for a simulated game Thursday. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura (irritation of right ulnar nerve) will make a second rehab start on July 1 for Triple-A Omaha. He pitched four innings for Omaha on Friday. "Good stuff and got through it OK," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Fastball at 97 mph, good curveball, good change. "